Democratic Representatives Joaquin Castro and Jasmine Crockett visited a five-year-old boy and his father from Ecuador at a federal detention center in Texas following the boy’s recent detainment by federal agents in Minneapolis. The incident has sparked outrage over the Trump administration’s immigration policies, particularly the actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
During the meeting at the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Castro and Crockett spent about 30 minutes with Liam Conejo Ramos and his father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias. Outside the facility, Texas state police engaged with demonstrators supporting the detainees.
A widely circulated photo shows Liam wearing a blue winter hat and a Spider-Man backpack while in detention, evoking strong reactions. Castro described Liam as a symbol of the ICE and detention system’s harsh realities.
Liam’s father shared that the boy has been restless, missing his mother and classmates, and expressing a desire to return to school. Castro appealed to President Trump to consider the emotional toll of such detention on his own grandchildren.
The lawmakers’ visit aimed to shed light on the impact of Trump’s immigration policies in Minnesota and beyond. Liam and his father were apprehended in Minneapolis during a broader operation that has led to protests and violence, including the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens by federal officers.
Allegations surfaced that ICE officers used Liam as “bait” by instructing him to knock on his home’s door, leading to his mother’s response. The Department of Homeland Security refuted this claim, stating that the father fled on foot, leaving the child in a running vehicle.
A federal judge issued a temporary order preventing the deportation of Ramos and Arias as their case is reviewed. Arias reportedly had a pending asylum claim, filed in December 2024, allowing him to remain in the U.S.
After the visit, Castro shared a photo of Liam in his father’s arms on social media, advocating for the boy’s release and expressing support and prayers for the family. Crockett emphasized that Liam’s situation is just one example of the systemic issues affecting detained children.
Protests outside the detention center turned tense, with Texas state police using pepper balls to disperse demonstrators. Castro and Crockett, along with other Democrats, criticized Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s handling of immigration enforcement, calling for accountability and changes in policy.
Efforts to challenge Trump’s immigration crackdown and hold ICE accountable are gaining momentum among Democrats, who are pushing for reforms and oversight to protect vulnerable individuals caught in the immigration system.